


(Damn) Fine Print

by midnightmumblings



Category: SB19 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:29:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29794020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightmumblings/pseuds/midnightmumblings
Summary: Justin was already under so much stress: his thesis, graduation, and finding a job in his field.  He doesn't need the cute computer shop guy to add to his laundry list of stuff to worry about.
Relationships: Justin De Dios/Josh Cullen Santos
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	(Damn) Fine Print

He wanted to scream.

Exhaustion settled into his bones, the stress of the last few _years_ catching up with Justin eventually. He had to rewrite his whole goddamned thesis with less than two months left for graduation, and he had been running around like a headless chicken trying to get himself cleared with the school.

Job hunting was also not going well, and Justin was just about ready to tear up his resume and hide away in a hole for a year until the world decided to just slow the fuck down.

The world was clearly not done fucking with him.

"Fucking….work goddamnit!"

The printer let out a pitiful whirr, spitting out a piece of paper obviously still caught in a jam.

His brother once told him that printers can sense fear. They never seemed to work when you needed them the most, choosing to mess with you when you had important documents you needed to submit in less than two hours.

Or rather, since _four years ago_ since Justin's pretty sure he's been working on this god-be-damned thesis since he graduated high school.

He was halfway done with printing out his updated research. He had time to get the draft to his professor! He was not going to be bested by a crappy printer that broke down more than the old dot matrix they had when he was a child.

Was this karma for being cheap? He didn't want to spend another peso to print out his thesis, but with the way the printer refused to cooperate, Justin found himself sighing in defeat, reaching for his wallet, and counting how much money he had left and if it would be enough to print out the rest.

And eat.

The cheapest around the school, he knew, was two pesos per page. The last of his pocket money was enough to cover the costs. He wasn't eating apparently.

With a loud sigh, he grabbed his USB and his bag and made his way to school. He had enough time to hopefully swing by the computer shop near Benilde and get the rest of his thesis printed.

If his professor rejects his thesis again, Justin would not be responsible for his actions.

* * *

After a grueling ride on the LRT, squeezed in between a rank construction worker and a highschool girl who wouldn't stop batting her eyelashes at him, Justin finally disembarked at Vito Cruz station, hair a mess and uniform wrinkled.

His phone said he had approximately half an hour to get his thesis printed, which was hopefully enough time if the fates decided to bestow their blessings on him this one time. 

And thankfully, someone was listening.

The computer shop has been there since Justin started college, perhaps even before. It had a steady stream of students stumbling in for their services, whether that was computer rental for research, photocopying, and of course, printing. Today, it was blessedly empty aside from the few students playing computer games during their break.

Justin's been here a few times before, enough to be familiar with the owner of the shop. Tita Aldrene wasn't always there, but when she was, she would greet Justin like he was her son, always asking him about his day and his studies as they waited for his papers to be printed out. 

Justin knew Tita Aldrene had two children, but he was only ever introduced to Ate Yuna, who practically ran the computer shop with her. Ate Yuna was like the cool older sister Justin never had, always teasing but never in malice. Ate Yuna said she wished Justin was her baby brother too, as he was always so respectful and charming and was way cuter than her own brother. 

Justin had laughed at that, and replied that he would love to have Ate Yuna as his older sister too.

He shook his head, the memories tugging a small smile onto his face, and he walked up to the front desk, fully expecting to hear Ate Yuna or Tita Aldrene greet him loudly.

He blinked.

That wasn't Ate Yuna or Tita Aldrene.

He stopped at the sight of another guy who looked to be a bit older than him, sporting black, fluffy windswept hair. He was muscular and lean, judging by the way his arms flexed as he brought the cutter down on the board with a mighty thwack. 

For a hot second, Justin wanted the guy to thwack him against the desk too. Why did the cutter get all the fun?

The guy was clad only in a black tank top and basketball shorts, an outfit that Justin never had any particular opinions on, but it looked good on this guy.

(It'd also look good on his bedroom floor, he idly thought.)

When the guy finally looked up, Justin's breath was snatched at the sight of piercing dark eyes, combined with a playful smirk on soft and supple lips. He wondered what those lips would feel like against his, pressing on every inch of skin before latching onto his neck as he writhed beneath those arms and a toned body.

Those gorgeous lips started moving, and oh shit, was the guy asking him something? The smirk had disappeared, replaced with a hesitant look, and fuck fuck fuck, how long had he been just _standing_ there?

"Uh, can I help you?" The guy asked, and Justin finally managed to get his brain back online. 

"...print…"

Okay his brain was apparently still stuck on the loop of _hot guy hot guy hot guy._

"I need...do you...print?"

What the fuck was he saying, he had a paper to submit in less than 20 minutes!

"Yes, we print," the guy replied, amusement shining in his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest, and _fuck_ that was an illegal move. "We're a computer shop."

"I know that!" Justin snapped irritably, and why was it suddenly very hot, did Tita Aldrene remove the air conditioning? 

The guy suddenly frowned, pink lips downturned, expression closing off faster than the automatic doors at the mall, and Justin mentally kicked himself.

"Sorry...just...I need to have my paper printed. Been under a lot of stress to get this done and my own printer at home decided it was time for its annual rebellion," he hurriedly said, holding out his USB. "Please."

He was sure he looked like a puppy now, eyes wide and pleading, and the guy simply sighed and took the USB, plugging it into the main computer. 

"File name?"

"Uh, _researchJDEDIOSfinal_ ," he replied, pointing at it. "I already printed it out up to page 94, I just need the rest."

Nothing more was said as the printer whirred to life and started spitting out Justin's research smoothly. At that, he finally sighed in relief.

"This paper must be so damned important for you to sigh like that," the guy commented with a chuckle.

"It's one of my last outputs for school," he replied, running his fingers through his hair. "My prof had me redo the whole thing so if I don't get this right, I might not even get to _see_ my diploma."

"Oh shit, that serious huh?" 

Justin nodded, and for a moment, nothing more was said, the sound of the printer filling in the silence.

"Wait, are you new here?" he found himself asking after awhile as the guy took the freshly printed papers from the tray. At the incredulous look that was flashed at him, Justin backtracked. "I mean, because, I've never seen you here before and well, I've been coming here from time to time and I know Tita Aldrene and Ate Yuna but they've never mentioned hiring someone new, and I figured I would have...remembered...you…"

He trailed off, realizing that he had pathetically rambled for a few seconds, but thankfully (or not, he had no idea how to feel at that point), the guy just looked more and more amused as he did so.

"How much?" Justin _most definitely did not squeak out_ as he was handed the papers.

The guy grinned widely, like he was _enjoying_ it as Justin fumbled with his money and handed it to him, not bothering for change as he all but fled the shop.

Well, fuck, that was embarrasing.

* * *

Justin felt that five minutes straight of laughter was just a bit too excessive.

Ken had finally managed to get his absolute joy under control, but every now and then, he'd stop and giggle to himself as if remembering a very stupid joke.

And well, Justin might just consider himself a _very stupid joke_ , really, with the way he just bolted from the computer shop.

"So you just…left?" Stell asked from where he was seated, looking like he was two seconds from laughing as well, and Justin wanted to flip him off, his middle finger ready to go, but then he remembered that Pau, Stell's _working_ boyfriend, was buying the drinks - a treat on their boy's night out - so he wisely held his tongue lest he wanted to pay for his own drinks or be on the receiving end of Pau's - frankly terrifying - frown.

Which, in hindsight, was a good thing or else Justin might have said something stupid like "well what was I supposed to do, have him bang me on the desk?"

_That_ would have sent Ken into a laugh-induced coronary, and Justin would really like it if they did not end up at the hospital again.

He took another sip of his beer instead, refusing to meet his friends' eyes. 

"I panicked, okay?" He finally muttered, though it came out as a pathetic whine. "He was cute and I am so incredibly gay and single."

"Aww, you poor baby," Pau cooed, his face impassive, but his eyes were sparkling with mirth. "Come on, tell us about him then. What's got you all twisted up?"

Justin huffed, and he fidgeted slightly under their stares. 

"I didn't even get his name," he said, nursing his beer and pouting. "I am _never_ going back there."

"Right, like we believe that" Ken replied, voice laced thick with sarcasm, making Justin's eyebrow twitch and wonder, not for the first time, how he ended up as best friends with Ken fucking Suson.

"Never," he muttered. "I am never going back there, I have made my decision. I am under so much stress already, I don't need a hot computer shop guy to add to it. I am _not_ going back, and that's _final_."

* * *

"What was that about _not_ going back?"

"I hate you."

Ken raised an eyebrow, grinning maniacally as he tried to keep up with Justin's long strides. They were in the middle of hanging out, eating their fill at McDonald's in celebration of Ken finishing his exams, when Justin's phone buzzed with a message from his classmate that had him groaning in annoyance.

"Why the fuck do they even need a photocopy of this bullshit?" He ranted, flapping his documents around as his feet carried him to the computer shop. He belatedly realized that it was probably not a good idea to bring Ken here, but short of throwing his best friend into oncoming traffic, there was no way to shake him off anytime soon. There was a barrage of teasing coming his way, that much was certain. 

The cool airconditioning of the shop was a welcome reprieve from the blistering heat of the Philippine summer sun, but Justin wondered if it even made any difference with Hot computer shop guy standing there.

Hot computer shop guy was - well, still hot - and this time, he was clothed in a thin, white t-shirt that was a little loose on him, which hid the lean build that Justin saw and very much appreciated the first time he saw him. 

But, it wasn't his clothing that made Justin want to turn into a pile of goo.

He wanted to just melt at the sight of Hot computer guy with his hair pulled back in a messy half-bun. It exposed his face more, displaying gorgeous cheekbones he wanted to kiss.

The guy was in the middle of bookbinding some papers when he looked up, and Justin felt a jolt of electricity run through his spine at the sight of those dark brown eyes.

"Hey there," Hot computer shop guy - and Justin really should know his name - said with a grin, leaning against the desk. "Print?"

How one of the most boring words in the world sounded so sexy coming from this guy's lips, Justin had no idea.

"Not this time," he said once he managed to find his voice, aware of the terrible fact that his voice so much as cracked like it did when he was twelve and he went through the horrible ordeal otherwise known as puberty, their friends and everyone else in their immediate circle of family members will find out because Ken will never shut up about it.

He placed a stack of papers on the counter. "I need these photocopied," he said, proud that he didn't stumble over the sentence. 

Hot computer shop guy simply nodded, a smirk still playing on his lips, and he grabbed the papers from Justin. Justin tried very hard not to react at the shiver that ran down his spine when their fingers brushed. He only hoped he wasn't blushing like a virgin, but the heat crawling up his neck told him otherwise.

Ken stepped up beside him, and in his periphery, Justin could see the shit-eating grin on his face. It didn't take long for the look to register in his mind, but when it did, Justin was too. Damn. Late.

"So bro, you single?" Ken asked, oh-so-casual as if he didn't just pull the rug from under Justin's feet. "Asking for a friend."

Justin could not look away in horror. It was like a bad car crash, dread filling his very bones. 

Just this once, he wished the ground would open up and swallow him. That was it. He was never going to be allowed back here. They were going to be thrown out, and it was all Ken's fault.

But, to his utter bewilderment, the guy simply crossed his arms with an amused smile. 

"Well, depends on who the friend is," came the response and seriously, can the "Big One" happen now? Preferably just under Justin's feet so he could just smother himself to death with the earth? "You got someone in mind?"

"Oh, I do," Ken replied easily, and if he so much as glance at Justin’s way _one more time_ , Justin would bash him over the head with the monitor. "Between you and me, bro, you're definitely my friend's type."

The guy looked between them, eyes shining with barely concealed amusement. 

"Well, I would like to meet your _friend,_ but as it stands, I think I've got my eye on someone else."

Did he...did he give Justin a once over? Did he imagine those gorgeous brown eyes look him up and down, and...was he biting his lip?

Justin was too sober and too tired for this shit.

And, from the look of absolute glee on Ken's face, that asshole saw it too. 

The photocopier spat out the last of his papers, _thank God,_ distracting him momentarily from his thoughts. 

"That'll be ten pesos," the guy said, and Justin reached into his pockets to grab his wallet and put a ten-peso coin in front of him. 

The guy then placed the papers in front of him, looked at the front page, and smiled.

"Justin, huh? Nice name," he remarked, and oh _fuck_ hearing his name roll off the guy's tongue like that made him weak in the knees. 

He had absolutely no idea what spirit possessed him at that very moment, but before his brain could register what was happening, the words were out of his mouth.

"Oh, you like that? You should hear my phone number."

Justin's pretty sure his soul just left his body. He was having an out-of-body experience, watching his dumbass self spit out the old pick-up line like it was nothing. He was certain Ken was dying somewhere to his left, but he could barely look away from the surprised face of the guy in front of them.

A second passed. And another. In the _eternity_ it took for those two seconds to tick by, Justin thinks that somewhere, an entire galaxy has just been born and several animal species went extinct.

But, slowly, the surprised expression morphed into something softer and...sweeter.

"Well, who am I to say no?" The guy finally said, whipping his phone out. "Come on, let me hear it."

Fuck, was this happening? Oh god, was this _really happening?_

Was a hot guy really asking for his number? That never happened, not to Justin at least. 

As if on autopilot, he recited his number and watched as the guy saved it to his phone. The small _ding_ in his pocket made him realize the guy texted him right away, as a way for Justin to have _his_ number, and he tried to calm the palpitations in his chest. He shouldn’t have drank the second coffee earlier. 

"Well, you're right, I did like hearing your number," the guy said with a smile. "Text me alright?"

“Yeah, I...I’ll do that,” Justin replied lamely, but _fuck,_ the brilliant smile directed his way after that made it almost worth the embarassment he faced in the past fifteen minutes.

After some awkward _thank yous_ and _goodbyes,_ he managed to shove Ken out of the door, hissing at him to hurry up, keenly aware that Hot computer shop guy was watching them. 

“Dude, he’s so into you!” Ken cackled once they were out and away from the shop. 

Justin gave him an exasperated look. “That was horrifying! What the fuck were you doing?”

“I was trying to be a supportive wingman and get you laid. A _thank you_ would be nice.”

“Oh, for which part was I supposed to thank you? The part where you asked if he was single _for a friend_ or the part where you just laughed at me when I made a fool of myself?” Justin asked, his lips curled into a snarl. 

Ken shook his head, a grin still plastered onto his face. “He was into it, I could tell. Your pick-up line was _amazing._ Come on man, you need to loosen up, and I’m sure _he’s_ willing to get you all loose.”

The last part was said with a salacious wink, and though Justin tried, images of being pinned down and worked open slowly and deliciously until his toes curled slammed into his brain, causing him to falter in his steps.

Thankfully, Ken dropped the topic after that. They parted ways - Ken on his way home, and Justin on his way to the last class of the day - and this left Justin mostly alone to deal with his thoughts.

It was later that night, as he stepped onto the train, that he realized he had completely forgotten to get the guy’s name. He let out a soft groan, leaning his head back against the LRT window, letting the motions of the train jostle him gently.

With a sigh, he fished his phone out of his pocket to turn on some music when he saw the unread message. 

Almost immediately, the exhaustion in his body disappeared as he clicked on the messages. One was from an unknown number, but Justin was more than certain he knew who it was from.

**[4:31 p.m.] There, now you have my number ;) I’m Josh, btw.**

_Josh._

The name suited him, and Justin couldn’t help the smile that overtook his face.

_[9:17 p.m.] Hi slr, just got done with classes._

_[9:18 p.m.] And “Josh” huh? Nice name._

**[9:19 p.m] np**

**[9:20 p.m.] and I bet it’d be nicer when you say it**

Justin couldn’t help but blush all the way home.

* * *

Conversation flowed easily between them. Aside from the light flirting they did over text, they never seemed to run out of topics. Justin found that he and Josh really had a lot in common, from their love of video games to their love of performing. On some nights when Justin had no early morning class the next day, they’d spend _hours_ texting back and forth, getting to know each other.

It was so _easy,_ becoming Josh’s friend, despite the five year age gap between them.

Josh did not share much about himself or his personal life, but he did share some of his innermost thoughts with Justin. It was those 2 a.m. talks that Justin really enjoyed, and he felt almost giddy at the thought that he was privy to these thoughts.

He didn’t feel as exhausted when he was talking to Josh. It was as if, somehow, by talking with Josh, someone was sharing the weight he carried on his shoulders.

Still, despite the easy conversation, Justin still felt a bit embarrassed by the way he conducted himself the first few times he met Josh, and if he could help it, he wouldn’t swing by the shop unless it was necessary. 

Inevitably, though, he had to return. 

Well, there was really nothing _inevitable_ about it. Justin could have chosen to do his business at any of the hundreds of computer shops littered around the Metro Manila area. He didn’t have to always go to this particular shop. 

He had a _choice_ damn it. 

But, it was the closest shop to Benilde, and Justin already knew the people running it, trusted them so much more than he did the others, so when he needed to make copies of his research to submit, he found himself walking back to the shop.

The disappointment he felt upon seeing Ate Yuna at the counter and not _Josh_ was quickly shoved aside. He liked Ate Yuna. He should be glad to see her, not... _this._

“Hey, Ate Yuna, long time no see,” he said by way of greeting, forcing a smile on his face as he made his way through the throng of freshmen nervously gathered at one computer. 

Ate Yuna smiled back at him as he approached. “Well, hello to you, too, Justin,” she replied. “How have you been?”

“Good, just...getting everything sorted before graduation,” he said, holding up his finally-approved thesis. “Prof needs copies of this by this afternoon.”

“Say no more,” she said, taking the papers from him, placing them on the photocopier tray. “I haven’t seen you here in awhile, I suppose you’ve been busy.”

He nodded, and he could feel the exhaustion deep in his bones, in every nook and cranny and crevice of his body. “I did come here a few times in the past weeks, but it wasn’t you manning the store.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right, I had to help mama with some business-related stuff, but thankfully, my brother agreed to help run the shop while we took care of things. He’s probably the guy you met,” she was saying as she arranged the papers in the tray and pressed the button. She did this in the most casual way possible, as if she just hadn’t turned Justin’s world upside down.

Her _brother?_

Oh _god_ , Justin was having thoughts about Ate Yuna’s _brother?_

Now that he thought about it, the familial resemblance was there. Josh and Ate Yuna both had the same dark eyes, same stance, and same cheeky smile. How the fuck had he not noticed it before?

_Probably because you were too busy ogling his biceps the first time,_ his brain traitorously offered.

Thankfully, a loud noise brought him out of his thoughts before he could spiral further down the rabbit hole, and he looked up to see Ate Yuna glance worriedly at the photocopier. 

“Oh no, I think it’s got a paper jam,” she said, leaning down to open the machine, and yup, there was indeed a paper jammed into the machine.

And, judging by the look on Ate Yuna’s face as she tried pulling it out, it was seriously jammed in there.

“Fuck,” she muttered, and Justin had to hold in a laugh at the way she said it in her most deadpan voice. “I’m going to need…”

She trailed off, and just as Justin managed to scrounge up enough brain cells to ask her what she needed, she turned to the back and yelled “Josh!”

There was a loud crash, followed by Josh’s annoyed voice, but the man himself emerged from the back door with an irritated look on his face and oh, he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

Justin really should not have been tripped up at that, but he was young and single and halfway in love with the guy, so the way his eyes roved about Josh’s body without his express permission certainly was not his fault. His brain certainly was still stuck on a feedback loop of _abs_ and not much else. 

“What?” Josh ground out, squinting at them and that really should not have been as cute as it was. 

“Copy jam,” was all Ate Yuna said, and Josh let out a huff as he made his way to the copier. In the short distance, Josh had managed to put on a shirt - how Justin did not realize he was holding a shirt was beyond him - and he forced himself not to pout at that.

Josh then stood there, glaring at the copier like it had personally offended him (which shouldn't have been as adorable as it was) before he started tugging at the jam with a bit more force.

It took a few tries, but eventually, he managed to dislodge the paper stuck, and after a few checks, the copier was once again ready to go. Justin let out a relieved sigh at that. 

“Oh thank god, for a second there I thought I had to go and look for another shop,” Justin found himself saying, and that caused Josh’s head to snap up and squint at him. 

“Oh shit, I didn’t see you there,” was the first thing Josh said. “I’m a bit blind without my contacts on, sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

Justin waved away the concern. “It’s okay. Sorry my paper caused your copier to jam, it’s probably my fault you’re not in top form today.”

“Hey, no, it’s fine,” Josh replied, a small smile on his face. “I’m just glad to see you.” 

Ate Yuna was looking between them, her eyebrow raised. “You two know each other?”

“Yeah we...we’ve been texting,” Josh admitted, a soft smile on his face, and a knowing look appeared on Ate Yuna’s face.

Justin had no idea what to say to that. Yes, they were _texting,_ but it wasn’t as if they were _something._

“Anyways, I still need to finish getting ready,” Josh told them, placing a hand on his sister’s shoulder. He then looked up at Justin, his expression almost fond. “And you, Justin, it was nice to see you.”

“Yeah, you too,” Justin replied just as softly, as if they were the only two people in the room.

Josh then disappeared behind the door. When Justin finally managed to tear his eyes away, he found himself on the receiving end of Ate Yuna’s knowing smirks.

“So, what was that about?” She asked, and subsequently laughed when Justin felt his cheeks tinge pink.

* * *

Things were...going great.

Really great, in fact.

Justin kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He confessed as much to his friends, that he feels that this thing with Josh was just moving too fast for his liking. He had a million other things to do - the finish line was nearly there - and life just wouldn’t slow down enough for him to catch his damned breath. 

He could blame it on his busy schedule, trying to keep up with so much shit he could barely keep afloat, but he knew, deep within, that really wasn’t the issue.

As much as he _wanted_ Josh, his own personal insecurities always reared their ugly head.

And, well, he didn’t really mean to pull away. 

He was busy, that much was true. His schedule for the last few weeks of college was full to the brim, with a ton of requirements being shoved in his throat faster than he could swallow them, and it was just getting to be a bit too much to deal with as graduation loomed closer and closer. He just didn’t have time to foster a burgeoning relationship right now.

And, well, maybe there were the other reasons. 

His heart twisted with guilt as Josh continued texting him, even if Justin could do nothing more than reply one-word responses. 

**[10:36 p.m.] Make sure you eat**

_[11:03 p.m.] Yup_

But, Josh was the sweetest, even if Justin had been a bit noncommittal in his replies. He often texted Justin good morning messages, even if Justin was too tired to respond, and he sent Justin little jokes that made him smile throughout the day. 

A darker part of his mind often asked if Josh didn’t have anything better to do. He was in his mid-twenties, and he was young and attractive. Surely he had better things to do than text the college student stressing over school and graduation. 

He didn’t mean to pull away.

Josh’s last message made his stomach turn.

**[12:04 p.m.] I’m sorry if I said something, but it seems you need space, so I’ll just let you be.**

He could have said something, _anything_ to make it better, to reassure Josh that he wasn’t gone, and he was just so tired and that he needed time to think and just sort through the clusterfuck in his brain, but he couldn’t find it in himself to type a response.

He didn’t want to pull away, didn’t mean for it to happen, but he did.

_Besides,_ his brain traitorously thought, _why does he want me?_

* * *

“You should see him,” Stell told him days before graduation.

Justin’s finally managed to _breathe_ once all his requirements have been cleared. He was set to graduate, and he was going to march across that stage and get the goddamn diploma that he worked so hard for. Everything was finally falling into place, and he even had a job interview two days after his graduation ceremony.

Well, _almost everything._

“I don’t know if he’d still want to talk to me,” Justin replied, staring at his phone forlornly. It’s been two weeks since he and Josh last texted. “I fucked up.”

Stell sighed. “So fix it,” he said, as if it was that easy. “Meet up with him, what’s holding you back?”

“I…”

He trailed off. What was holding him back? 

“I’m just...scared...of what it all means,” Justin admitted, looking up at Stell. “I’m scared that...I won’t be enough for him, that he’ll see me as just that dumb, awkward college kid.”

“You gotta talk with him.” Stell stood up, lending a hand to pull Justin to his feet. “Look, you’re graduating, you got a job prospect lined up, maybe this is also something that could go right in your life.”

Stell was right. He always was, in a way. Justin _hated_ how right he was.

"I'll try," he murmured. "If he even wants me after this bullshit I put him through."

Stell chuckled. "You'll never know until you try. Go for it. Who knows? You'll be starting a new chapter of your life, so take a chance and welcome it with a _bang,_ if you know what I mean."

  
  


* * *

Holding his diploma in his hands felt unreal.

Four years of nonstop study culminated with him receiving a piece of parchment with his name and degree emblazoned on the front. All those sleepless nights staring at a screen and a book at the same time while chugging an inordinate amount of coffee that could put Starbucks out of business all led to…this.

Justin was relieved, glad, elated and...empty.

He hadn't realized just how much of his life he signed away in the last four years, how much of his time and energy he gave away just to finally get a degree because it was expected of him. And while he was glad it was all over, he felt slightly underwhelmed at the thought of it all.

He confessed as much to Pau a few days after their graduation rites. 

"It's going to be a huge change," Pau said after awhile. "But here's the best part about it: you're no longer tied down. You're no longer obligated to let people tell you how to spend your time. You got a lot of opportunities in front of you, so why don't you keep trying them until you find one that sticks?"

Pau made it sound so _easy._ Justin could not really afford _not_ to work, but he could understand where Pau was coming from.

He was now a fully fledged adult - unemployed and broke, sure, but still an adult - and for the first time in years, he felt like he could finally breathe...like he could actually do something on his own terms.

And when he told Pau, the older boy had a glint in his eye and a soft smile on his face.

"I think you know where to start," he said, and Justin nodded.

He knew where he had to be.

* * *

The computer shop closed at 10pm, always running at regular hours to avoid people from spending hours there into the early morning. 

He got there just as Josh was closing down, and he stopped for a second, simply watching the other boy fasten a huge padlock on the iron gates. 

Josh looked...beautiful. Under the streetlamps, it was as if he moved like a mirage, an echo of Justin's imagination that just couldn't be real. He took a step forward and startled when Josh looked up and their eyes met.

"Hi," he breathed out, not daring to come any closer, as if the mere thought of doing so would make this moment disappear.

"Hi," came the equally breathless, but wary reply. The tone punched him in the gut. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"I made a mistake," Justin blurted out before Josh could sidestep and walk around him. "And I'm sorry I wasn't upfront with you."

A humorless chuckle escaped Josh's lips. "You could have just told me you didn't want me. I didn't appreciate being strung along like that."

"I know, and I'm sorry," he said, swallowing the hurt. "I did...I do want you. And I can make all the excuses in the world - I was busy with school, I got too much on my plate - but I know that doesn't change the fact that I ghosted you."

Josh remained quiet, simply looking up at Justin as if he was trying to gauge the truthfulness of his statement. 

Then, he stood up straight. "So, why did you?"

Justin winced, and he hung his head in shame. 

"I figured it was best to cut my losses before you realized that I wasn't what you wanted," he murmured, voice so soft he wondered for a second if Josh heard him amidst the traffic going on in Taft avenue. 

He did, apparently, judging by the way Josh walked towards him, exasperation on his face.

"You dumbass," Josh said, and a smile started to pull at his lips. "What made you think you could make that decision for me? Who told you that I wanted anything else?"

"I just thought…" he sighed. "You deserve better than some unemployed college graduate."

"Well, I don't want _better,"_ Josh spit out with a grin. "Why would I want _better_ when I could have you?"

The force of his words slammed into Justin's chest, and he swayed with the weight of it all before Josh's arms snaked out and held him by the waist, grounding him in that moment.

"Justin," Josh breathed out, face so incredibly close. Was this really happening? Justin forced his heart to calm the fuck down, but how could it when all his senses could register was _Josh?_

"I'm going to kiss you," was all Josh said, and Justin didn't even wait. He closed the gap between them, closing in the scant distance between them so he could finally, _finally,_ know what Josh's lips tasted like.

Josh kissed him slowly, sensually, allowing Justin to grip his shoulders and pull him close, almost begging for _more._ His lips tasted like sweet coffee, and Justin moaned into his mouth, pouring everything he could into one gesture.

He felt like he was being continuously electrocuted, sparks flashing behind his eyes as Josh pressed their lips together again and again, almost as if he couldn't get enough, and Justin was _high_ on the sensations that seeped into every crevice of his body.

Eventually, their need for oxygen won out, and they pulled away, pressing their foreheads together instead.

Justin belatedly realized that they did this in the middle of a still semi-busy street, but he found he didn't even care, not when he had an absolutely gorgeous man in his arms.

"Can I take you home?" Josh asked and Justin found himself nodding before he could even finish his question. Josh grinned at him, and if this is how the new chapter of his life was starting out, Justin figured he had a great future ahead of him.

He made a mental note to thank his printer later. Even if it was a piece of shit, it still led Justin to the best thing in his life.

Things were definitely looking up.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this got away from me. I just needed some pining!Justin and well...this happened.
> 
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated. As always, this is a work of fiction. 
> 
> Stan SB19 though. Comeback is real 😁


End file.
